WHAT IS GEOGRAPHY?
Greek word that means writing about or
describing the earth.
The study of people, places and things;
where they are located and how they relate
to each other.
The 5 Themes of Geography
Location
Place
HEI
Movement
Region
Location of a place. Types; absolute and relative.
Unique characteristic of a place.
How people change and adapt to the environment.
Movement of people, goods, and ideas between places.
The differences and similarities of places.
Absolute Location – The precise point where a place is located on Earth
(write a sentence using Absolute location)
Distortion – Change in the shape, size, or position of a place when it is shown on a map
(write a sentence using distortion)
Map Projection – a way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface
(write a sentence using map projection)
Relative Location – where a place is located in relation to another place
(write a sentence using relative location)
5 THEMES OF GEOGRAPHY
Location
– Location of a place
– Types; absolute and relative
Place
– Unique characteristic of a place
Human Environment Interaction
– How people change and adapt to the environment
Movement
– Movement of people, goods, and ideas between places
Region
– The differences and similarities of places
ABSOLUTE LOCATION
Absolute location
– Exact position on the globe
– Latitude and longitude coordinates
• Latitude measures north and south
• Longitude measures east and west
PLACE
Unique physical characteristics
– Landforms, vegetation, climate
Human Characteristics
– How many people live, work, and visit the
place
– Urban growth, farming techniques,
architectural styles, and politics
HUMAN ENVIRONMENT
INTERACTION
Humans have made enormous changes in
their environment.
How have people changed the
environment?
MOVEMENT
How do people, goods and ideas move
between places?
Freeways, traffic, buses, airports, the
internet, boats, etc.
REGIONS
Regions = groups of places with at least
one common characteristic
Formal regions
– States, cities, etc.
Functional regions
– One central place and the surrounding places
affected by it
On page 12 of your ISN…cross out
the directions Describe the city of Murrieta in light of the 5
themes of geography.
1. absolute location
2. relative location
3. human characteristics
4. physical characteristics
5. humans adapting, modifying, depending on the environment
6. movement or people, goods, ideas
7. formal region
8. functional region
Absolute Location – The precise point where a place is located on Earth
(write a sentence using Absolute location)
Distortion – Change in the shape, size, or position of a place when it is shown on a map
(write a sentence using distortion)
Map Projection – a way of representing the spherical Earth on a flat surface
(write a sentence using map projection)
Relative Location – where a place is located in relation to another place
(write a sentence using relative location)